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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Opposition to ASI taking over Thirukadanmallai temple at Mahabalipuram

We care for our Sampradhayam and it is our duty to do ‘nithyanushtana
karmas’ and take care of our heritages.
Divyadesams are beautiful places reverred by our Great Azhwaars and the
divyadesam of Maamallapuram (Kadanmallai Thalasayanam) has added significance,
being the birth place of azhwaar – Boothath Azhwaar. In this divyadesam, Perumal is in a reclining posture, slightly
different from other sthalams. It is
not on ‘Aadi Sesha’ – but on the ground
itself – giving the name ‘Sthalasayana Perumal”.

When I read an announcement
proclaiming the Notification of the
Archaeological Survey of India, pertaining to protection of SriSthalasayanaperumalTemple, Mamallapuram,
District Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu it caused jitters in me. The Notification of 13th Jan 2004 : S.O.
79(E) states that Central Govt is of the opinion that the ancient monument,
Sthalasayana Perumal Temple is of national importance and in exercise of the
powers conferred by the Ancient Monuments & Archaeological Sites &
Remains Act 1958, the Central Govt gives notice of its intention to declare the
said ancient monument to be of national importance.

I apprehended that once and when the Temple
comes within the control of
Archaeological Survey of India, it would become more of a monumental
place rather than the Temple
of worship. The fears were confounded
by the statement that once any place
becomes a protected monument under the Act, the place shall not be used for any
purpose inconsistent with its character.
Where a part is still used for religious worship, the Collector is to
make due provisions for protection from pollution or desecration. The Act also forbades that the monuments
should not be used for the purposes of holding any meeting, reception
conference or entertainment – ‘these should not in any way stop congregation of
devotees and temple related activities – is what our concern is’. Once the Temple is under control of authorities who
either do not care to understand or have least regards for ‘agamas / sasthras /
sampradhayams / religious procedures’ , it becomes all too difficult to
continue with the time-honoured traditions that have been in vogue. Read my earlier post at :

Fear Ban On Constructions If Mamallapuram Structure Is Declared A
Monument

Chennai: One would expect residents of a town to
take pride in ancient structures in their locality being declared as monuments
of national importance.That is not the case of the 14century Sthalasayana
Perumal Temple in Mamallapuram. Sensing
that the declaration of the temple as a monument of national importance would
mean stringent curbs and even complete ban on construction of new buildings or
repair of existing ancestral structures in Mamallapuram, residents have been
flooding the Archaeological Survey of Indias sub-office in Mamallapuram and
Circle office at Fort St George in Chennai with petitions against the move.

Mamallapuram,lying some 60 km from Chennai,on
the East Coast Road (ECR) is already a World Heritage Site, and new buildings are not easy to construct.As
per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Amendment
Act,2010,no construction or repair work is allowed within 100 metres of the
monument as it is a prohibited area.Within 200 metres of the regulated area, repair
or alteration of buildings can be done only with the approval of the National
Monuments Authority (NMA).

The ASI maintains 32 monuments in
Mamallapuram,including Arjunas Penance,Shore Temple,Five Rathas and Tiger
Cave.But this ancient Perumal temple was never under the ASI,as it was being
maintained by the state governments Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
(HR&CE) Department since Independence.
On May 20,the ASI issued a public notice inviting objections, if any, on
the union governments intention to declare the ancient temple as a monument of
national importance under Section 4 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act,1958.As the temple is rich in architectural excellence of
the Pallavas and also located within the world heritage site,we want to declare
it as a monument of national importance.Objections can be given in writing
within two months from the date of the notice, said an ASI official.

The public mood against the Centres proposal was
reflected when the Mamallapuram town panchayat,in its monthly council meeting
in May, passed a resolution against the proposed take over of the temple by the
ASI. Almost entire town is already reeling under a complete ban on
constructions and repairs. Taking over the temple will enable the ASI to bring
the entire town under its fold. We oppose it, said M Devandran, chairman, Mamallapuram
town panchayat.

At present,Tamil Nadu has five world heritage
sites,including the BrahadeeswaraTemple in Thanjavur and
Mamallapuram.

2 comments:

Your fears are not unfounded. Heritage label is a liability for living temples with continued worship by Vaishnava Adiyargal. Thiru Kadalmallai is a temple where utsavangal are being held regularly. If it goes under ASI control, even to put a pandhalkaal for a short festival, make small modifications like let us say, improve the madapalli etc becomes impossible. After takeover it is only a maintenance phase. There is no room for development.

Perumal and Nila Mangai Thayar deserve better, rather than staying put in a stale fashion.

Look at the state of affairs in shore temple (which also has a palli konda perumal and probably is the original Sthala sayanar), also the Parameswara Vinnagaram. These are fossilised.

I can understand ASI motive to take over if the temple is in ruins or crumbling. This temple is quite well maintained and run. So we should protest the taking over.

From the link Sh Srinivasan has provided.http://www.asichennai.gov.in/downloads/mamallapuram_sthalasayanaperumal.pdf , we need to issue our protest letter to the officials in the link.